This constitution was passed by a vote of the student body and by the General Faculty on April 15, 1997. An asterisk indicates text inserted for clarity.

Preamble

We, the students of Oberlin College, hold that those who are affected by the decisions of the community should be involved in the shaping of those decisions. Therefore, we establish this Constitution to promote student interests, to enhance dialogue and understanding within the student community and the larger Oberlin College community, and to coordinate the direct participation of students in the governance of Oberlin College.

Table of Contents

1. Purpose and Membership
2. The Student Senate
   1. The Purpose of the Student Senate
   2. Student Senate Composition
   3. Responsibilities of Student Senate
   4. Responsibilities of Student Senators
   5. Elections
   6. Officers
   7. Interim Senate
   8. Legislation
   9. Student Appointments
   10. Removal of Student Appointee
   11. Student Finance Committee
   12. Forum Board
   13. Judicial/Community Board Appointments
   14. Honor Committee Appointments
   15. Student Union Board Appointments
   16. Plenary Sessions
   17. Quorum
   18. Accessibility of Proceedings
   19. Compensation for Senators
3. Advisory Councils
   1. Purpose of the Advisory Councils
   2. Creation of Advisory Council
   3. Advisory Council Membership
   4. Chair of Advisory Council(s)
   5. Proposals from an Advisory Council
4. Referenda and Constitutional Change
   1. How to Call for a Referendum
   2. Results
   3. Passing
   4. Senator Removal via a Referendum
5. Student Organizations and Association
   1. Organizing Groups
   2. Advisors
   3. Publications
   4. Amendments to Student Organization Charter
6. Powers

Article I: Purpose and Membership

The purpose of this Constitution is to define the structure and powers of the governance organizations of the students of Oberlin College, hereafter referred to as “the student body.”

For the purposes of this constitution, all persons who are enrolled as full- or part-time students in the Conservatory and/or the College of Arts and Sciences are considered to be members of the student body and are eligible to be members of any organization established by, or under the authority of, this Constitution.

Article II: The Student Senate

Section 1: The Purpose of the Student Senate

The Student Senate is the central governance organization for the student body. It is the principal advocate for the interests of the student body as a whole to the Oberlin administration and faculty, and ensures effective student participation in the faculty governance system. The Senate is a central forum for common dialogue within the student community, and for the development of legistation to actualize common goals. The Senate is responsible for ensuring the coordination, effectiveness, and accountability of all student government organizations.

The Senate also encourages and supports student organizations, initiatives, and activities.

Section 2: Student Senate Composition*

The Senate will be composed of 15 senators, elected at-large from the members of the student body, at least one of which will be a Conservatory of Music or Double-Degree student.

Section 3: Responsibilities of Student Senate*

The Senate will:

1. represent the student body in College governance and pursue the adoption of policies that are beneficial to the student body;
2. provide a forum for constructive dialogue and decision making that is inclusive of all students;
3. appoint and remove student members of Advisory Councils and faculty and administrative committees;
4. create and abolish Advisory Councils;
5. approve charters of student organizations;
6. serve as the board of appeal for the Student Finance Committee;
7. approve Senate bylaws;
8. elect officers.

Section 4: Responsibilities of Student Senators*

The responsibilities of senators will be to:

1. serve as an officer or coordinate an Advisory Council;
2. serve on a faculty or administrative committee;
3. serve on the General Faculty;
4. serve on the College Faculty, if applicable. Senators from specific committees, as stated inthe College Faculty bylaws, serve as members of the College Faculty;
5. attend all Senate, faculty and administrative committee meetings, and Advisory Council meetings of which the senator is a member in accordance with the Senate attendance policy;
6. perform publicity and communication with the student body;
7. hold weekly office hours.

Failure to execute these duties is cause for removal.

Section 5: Elections

1. Fifteen senators are elected at-large from the members of the student body, ten in the spring semester and five in the fall semester.
2. Candidates are encouraged to seek endorsements from student organizations, dormitories or co-ops. Such endorsements are printed on the ballot along with the canditate’s name, and on published candidate statements. Candidates may be endorsed by more than one organization. Organizations may endorse as many candidates as they see fit, and may use any criteria for making their endorsements. Organizations may determine (by the decision-making process set out in their charter) their own procedures for endorsing candidates. The Senate must be informed of those procedures so that it can ensure the validity of endorsements. Organizations and endorsed candidates may place commitments on one another, but a senator, once elected, may not be removed by an endorsing organization.
3. The Senate must hold elections within three weeks of reading period in the spring and within the first three weeks of the start of classes in the fall. The Senate can call elections to fill a vacancy with a majority vote. The Communications Coordinator coordinates the nomination period, which will last at least twelve days after the announcement calling for nominations. The Secretary shall coordinate the elections, which last for five days or until quorum for the election has been met, whichever is longer.
4. For quorum to be met in a regular fall or spring election, twenty percent of the student body must vote. Quorum for a vacancy-filling election is ten percent of the student body.
5. The ten senators elected in the spring serve as the Interim Senate.
6. If no Conservatory or Double-Degree student is elected in the spring election or nominated in the fall list of candidates, the Interim Senate will actively recruit Conservatory students to run for Senate. If at the end of a week of recruitment no Conservatory candidates are found, the Conservatory requirement is void. The spring election is unaffected by the Conservatory requirement.
7. In the spring election, the top ten vote-getters become senators regardless of division. If no Conservatory or Double-Degree students are elected in the spring, the top Conservatory vote-getter and the top four other vote-getters in the fall election become senators. The requirement for a Conservatory or Double-Degree student does not affect vacancy-filling elections.
8. The Student Senate must call an election and open moninations within one week if more than three seats are vacant.

Section 6: Officers*

The officers of the Senate shall be elected during the first meeting of the Interim Senate. The officers are as follows:

1. Liaison, who is a Senate spokesperson in communication with the staff, faculty, administration, and Trustees of Oberlin College, and the greater community. The Liaison coordinates the legislative work of the Senate and the Advisory Councils, and sends the Senate's legislation and proposals to the appropriate committees or administrative offices (see Article II, section 8).
2. Secretary, who manages the Senate office, coordinates elections, keeps the agenda and takes minutes for Senate meetings, manages technology support, and serves as the Senate treasurer. Note: One or more of these duties may be delegated to another senator, if more qualified.
3. Communications Coordinator, who is in charge of publicity regarding Senate information, advertises and take nominations for Senate elections, and is in charge of forums, the bulletin board, all correspondence, and a Senate newsletter.
4. Organizational Coordinator, who is the Senate's principal liaison to all student organizations and ensures that organizations are informed of and have the opportunity to be involved in the work of student government bodies. The Organizational Coordinator serves as the Student Finance Committee Co-chair, and coordinates prompt consideration of organization charters.
5. Membership Coordinator, who monitors the attendance of senators and the student members of Advisory Councils and faculty and administrative committees. The Membership Coordinator coordinates appointment interviews and recommends appointments and removals to the Senate.
6. Education Coordinator, who ensures that senators, student committee members, and the college community are informed about campus governance. The Education Coordinator shall coordinate a project each year during orientation to teach new students about the campus governance system and activism, and run a training retreat for the Senate. The Education Coordinator will publish the Senate by-laws and coordinate by-law revisions.

No senator shall hold two Senate offices simultaneously.

The Senate may amend the above officer duties and titles with a two-thirds vote.

Section 7: Interim Senate*

The Interim Senate consists of the ten senators elected in the spring.

1. From the end of the spring semester until the election of the five remaining senators in the fall, the Interim Senate shall serve three main functions: conducting appointments, education about campus governance during orientation, and conducting elections for the other five senators.
2. The Interim Senate will meet at least once before the end of the spring semester to elect the officers for the following year, to choose someone to coordinate Senate activities over the summer, and to plan for any student government business that must be dealt with before the fall elections.
3. Each interim senator will sign up in the spring to fill one position on a College, Conservatory, or General Faculty committee for the following year. The Membership Coordinator shall organize all other appointments.
4. The Interim Senate shall act as an elections committee in the fall, with the Secretary coordinating the election.

Section 8: Legislation

1. The Senate will consider adopting legislation on any issue of concern to students or referred to it by Advisory Councils, student organizations, or faculty committees.
2. Any legislation needing further approval will be delivered to the appropriate committee or administrator by the Liaison. Due to the Senate’s role as the principal legislative body of the student body, committees should promptly consider any referred legislation, and distribute it to their members through normal committee procedure.
3. The Senate will publicize all passed legislation to the student body. The Senate will distribute copies of all passed legislation to the General Faculty through the General Faculty Council, to the Dean of Students, to the Board of Trustees, and to the Secretary of the College.

Section 9: Student Appointments*

The Senate has the power to appoint all student members of faculty, administrative, and ad hoc committees and Advisory Councils.

1. At the first full Senate meeting, the senators elected in the fall will sign up to fill one position on any College, Conservatory, and General Faculty committee on which there are student seats. All senators are expected to serve on at least one of these committees, and they should choose committees based on their interest, experience, and time commitment. Only senators who are Conservatory or Double-Degree students will take seats on Conservatory Faculty committees, and only senators who are Arts and Sciences or Double-Degree students will take seats on College Faculty committees. In the event that more senators sign up for a committee than the number of seats that are available, an election will be held within the Senate for those seats.
2. Each senator will hold a seat on the committee of the General Faculty. If a senator is unable to serve on the General Faculty due to an academic conflict, the Senate shall appoint a replacement from the student body.
3. Student members of faculty or administrative committees are members of an Advisory Council, unless the Student Senate determines that it is not necessary for the student members of a committee to participate in an Advisory Council.
4. The Membership Coordinator shall advertise all open seats to the student body and coordinate the interview process following the senators’ fall seat selection. Committee seats that remain open after the fall appointments process is completed may be filled by senators. If more senators wish to become members of a committee than there are seats available, the appointments will be decided by a vote of the Senate.
5. Before the end of the spring semester, the Senate will appoint students to the Student Finance Committee, Judicial Board, Community Board, Honor Committee, Forum Board, and Student Union Board. No more than half of the student seats on any other regular faculty, administrative, or ad hoc committee may be filled before the fall election.
6. At least three senators must be present at an interview to recommend an appointment.
7. Any committee may designate up to two of its members as non-voting representatives to participate in interviews for student seats on that committee. More representativew may be allowed at the discretion of the Senate.

Section 10: Removal of Student Appointee*

The Senate has the power to remove any student member of a faculty or administrative committee, the Senate, or Advisory Councils.

The Membership Coordinator will record attendance of student members of committees, senators, and members of Advisory Councils.

1. The Membership Coordinator may recommend removal from the Senate, a committee, or an Advisory Council seat for poor attendance, but not for ideological reasons. If a student assigned to an Advisory Council fails to attend, that student may be removed from his or her faculty and administrative committee seats.
2. The Membership Coordinator may recommend removal from the Senate for not participating in publicity or dorm raps and not holding weekly office hours.
3. A removal is enacted by a two-thirds vote of the Senate.

Section 11: Student Finance Committee*

The members of the Student Finance Committee (SFC) are appointed by the Senate to allocate the Student Activity Fee. Members are chosen from the student body at large, with the exception of a co-chair, who will be the Organizational Coordinator of the Senate.

1. Five of the seven members of the SFC will be appointed in the spring prior to their year of service. The Organizational Coordinator will be elected by the Interim Senate in the spring, and a first-year student will be appointed in the fall.
2. An organization may appeal its SFC budget allocation to the Senate after completion of the SFC’s regular budgeting process. An organization must decide to initiate an appeal using the decision-making process set out in its charter. The Senate should agree to hear an appeal only if the organization can demonstrate that the SFC has used its power unfairly or in an arbitrary manner.
3. Members of the SFC are invited to attend the Senate meeting when an appeal is heard.
4. If the Senate finds that an appeal is legitimate, it may recommend to the SFC that it make an alternative budget allocation. If the SFC rejects the recommendations, the organization may appeal to the Senate once more. In the case of a second appeal, the decision of the Senate is final.
5. Senators may not vote on appeals from an organization that has given them a ballot endorsement. The Organizational Coordinator may not vote on any SFC appeal.
6. No senator who is a member of the SFC may vote on a SFC budget or ad hoc requect from an organization that has given them a ballot endorsement, nor may they chair an SFC discussion of the request.
7. The Student Senate may not appeal its own budget.
8. The Student Senate may not remove members of the SFC as it can other committees.

Section 12: Forum Board*

The members of Forum Board will be appointed by the Student Senate.

1. Five members of the Forum Board will be selected from the student body in the spring prior to their year of service. A term for Forum Board lasts for one academic year.
2. The Student Senate may not remove members of the Forum Board as it can other committees.
3. The Senate shall not hear budget appeals from the Forum Board.

Section 13: Judicial/Community Board Appointments*

The members of the Judicial Board and the student members of the Community Board will be appointed in the spring by the Student Senate, in accordance with E 2–3 (currently on pages 45–47) of the Judicial System section of the Student Regulations, Policies, and Procedures.

The Student Senate may not remove members of the Judicial Board or Community Board as it can other committees.

Section 14: Honor Committee Appointments*

The members of the Honor Committee will be appointed in the spring by the Student Senate, in accordance with E 4 (currently on page 20) of the Honor Code and Honor System section of the Student Regulations, Policies, and Procedures.

The Student Senate may not remove members of the Honor Committee as it can other committees.

Section 15: Student Union Board Appointments*

The members of the Student Union Board will be appointed in the spring by the Student Senate, in accordance with the Student Union Board constitution.

Section 16: Plenary Sessions*

The Senate will meet in plenary sessions no more than two weeks apart.

1. Items for the agenda of each meeting will be taken by the Secretary. Any senator may add an item to the agenda.
2. The facilitation of Senate meetings will rotate between all Senate members on a volunteer basis.
3. Senate meetings will follow the principles of the Feminist Process, promoting inclusive conversation and attempting to reach a consensus decision.

Section 17: Quorum*

The quorum for voting in the Senate is ten senators, if called by a senator.

Section 18: Accessibility of Proceedings*

The Senate’s proceedings must be accessible and well-publicized to the student body.

1. All Senate meetings must be open to any members of the student body.
2. The Senate office must be easily accessible to the student body, and senators must hold regular open office hours.
3. The Senate must maintain a centrally located bulletin board to publicize its agenda and proceedings, and to provide a space for student input.
4. The Senate must publish a newsletter at least once per month. Attendance and vote charts must be included in the newsletter. The newsletter may be distributed in any form that will widely reach the student body, including mailings, electronically, etc.
5. The Senate must publicize any open seats on faculty and administrative committees.

Section 19: Compensation for Senators*

Compensation for senators will be through a stipend salary, equivalent to 10 hours a week at the minimum wage on the student employment pay scale.

1. To receive compensation, senators are expected to perform their duties. Senators cease to receive stipend funds upon removal from the Senate.
2. Senators will be paid directly from the Student Activity Fee budget. The Senate must apply to the Student Finance Committee for any additional funding.
3. The stipend provision must be reaffirmed bianually by a student referendum. A minimum of fifty percent of students must vote, and a majority must approve.

Article III: Advisory Councils

Section 1: Purpose of the Advisory Councils

Advisory Councils are the principal forum for students to forumlate recommendations and proposals to the administration, Senate, and faculty and administrative committees on a particular set of issues. An Advisory Council consists of senators, students members of faculty and administrative committees, and other students and non-voting faculty and administrators appointed by the Senate. Advisory Councils are expected to involve the community in their work by holding public meetings and consulting with faculty, students, and staff with expertise or interest in an issue area.

Section 2: Creation of Advisory Council*

Advisory Councils are created each year by the Student Senate during the first meeting of the full Senate, based on the Senate’s priorities for the year.

1. The list of Advisory Councils must be approved as a slate with a two-thirds vote.
2. At least one senator must serve on each Advisory Council. Senators are appointed to Advisory Councils by the Senate through a majority vote.
3. To add or change Advisory Councils, the new list of all Advisory Councils must be approved by a two-thirds vote of the Senate.
4. The Senate determines which senators, faculty committee student members, individual students, and administrators serve on a particular Advisory Council.

Section 3: Advisory Council Membership*

Each Advisory Council will have no fewer than seven student members.

Student members of faculty or administrative committees are members of an Advisory Council, unless the Student Senate determines that it is not necessary for the student members of a committee to participate in an Advisory Council.

The Senate shall appoint faculty or staff members to sit on Advisory Councils as ex officio, non-voting members.

The Advisory Council is encouraged to invite other students, staff, and faculty to attend meetings as guests.

If there are not enough students on faculty or administrative committees to fill Advisory Councils, then the Membership Coordinator will advertise the open Advisory Council seats to the student body. The Senate can appoint Advisory Council members with a majority vote.

Section 4: Chair of Advisory Council(s)*

A senator will serve as chair for each Advisory Council.

Section 5: Proposals from a Advisory Council*

Proposals from an Advisory Council may be sent either to the Student Senate for adoption and lobbying or to faculty and administrative committees. As Advisory Council’s recommendations may go directly to a member of the administration for implementation. Advisory Council meetings are open to the public unless the committee votes to meet in executive session.

Article IV: Referenda and Constitutional Change.

Section 1: How to Call for a Referendum*

A referendum can be called by a majority vote of the Senate or by a petition with 100 student signatures presented to the Senate.

Section 2: Results*

The Senate and Advisory Councils are compelled to consider the results of any referendum.

Section 3: Passing

Amendments that significantly change the structure or intent of this Constitution must pass a student referendum. A minimum of fifty percent of students must vote, and a majority must approve the amendment.

Section 4: Senator Removal via a Referendum*

A senator may be removed by a student referendum. For the referendum to pass, twenty percent of students must vote, and two-thirds of those voting must approve.

Article V: Student Organizations and Association

Section 1: Organizing Groups*

Any group of students is free to organize for any purpose in accordance with the regulations of Oberlin College.

Section 2: Advisory*

Advisors to student organizations will be chosen or approved by the organizations concerned.

Section 3: Publications

1. Students may publish newspapers, journals, magazines, or other publications as they wish.
2. No censorship will be exercised by the Senate or the College authorities over the content of any publication.

Section 4: Amendments to Student Organization Charter*

The charter of a student organization must be amended by the respective organization, subject to approval by the Senate

Article VI: Powers

Nothing in this Constitution prevents the General Faculty, the President of the College, or the Board of Trustees from acting with the powers accorded to them by the bylaws of Oberlin College. This Constitution supersedes and overrides any previous constitutions, charters, and regulations.